Astorino blasts Cuomo tax-cut plan

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Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino on Tuesday blasted the tax cut proposal of his potential opponent for governor, incumbent Andrew M. Cuomo, and criticized New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s tax-hike agenda.

Astronio said he will decide within 60 days whether he will run for governor against Cuomo, a popular Democrat seeking his second term.

But in Albany Tuesday, Astorino, a Republican, let fly several critiques that sounded a lot like campaign fodder.

Astorino called Cuomo’s tax cut plan a shell game and a farce that comes three years too late to help New Yorkers suffering under high taxes.

Cuomo proposes a two-year freeze on local property taxes using a state subsidy and cuts to several business taxes to help reverse New York’s image as one of the highest taxing states in the nation.

“In places like Long Island, and the Hudson Valley where I live, anywhere where household income is $200,000 . . . [people are] barely making it because of the high property taxes and the cost of living,” Astorino said. “The governor said in his first State of the State that we need radical reform. I’m still waiting for it.”

Astorino said that while he looks forward to meeting with de Blasio, added that the Democratic mayor was elected on a platform to increase taxes. De Blasio wants to raise the city income tax on the wealthiest city residents to provide a reliable revenue stream to expand prekindergarten education.

“Enough is enough,” Astorino said.

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